Arctic Cooling Copper Lite

Arctic Cooling Copper Lite
Posted :: Jun 2, 2005 by Impact

In almost every modern computer, there is some sort of fan frantically trying to dissipate the heat that the processor creates. Most of these heatsink & fan combos are a block of finned metal with a fan bolted to the top. Arctic Cooling decided to take a different approach to mainstream air-cooling by mounting the fan above the heatsink by rubber struts.

Introduction:
CPU Cooling is a touchy subject. Many factors go into what is the "best" cooling solution. For many the sheer temperatures are all that matter, but at the same time, with increased cooling capacity normally comes a louder system, and usually a larger space requirement (and most of the time, a higher price tag). For most people, the "best" cooling solution is something that keeps the system within a safe temperature range (less than 60oC is preferable), doesn't drown out conversation, fits inside the case, and can be purchased at a reasonable price.

Arctic Cooling claims to have brought all of the above requirements together in the Copper Lite for AMD Duron, Semperon, and Athlon XP processors. Let’s take a look.

The Copper Lite:

Arctic Cooling claims the following on the box:

Lightest Low Noise Cooler
Extremely Quiet
Patented Fan Casing
High Cooling Performance
Easy Installation
Clip Screw Lock for maximum safety during Transport
Long Lifetime
6 Years Guarantee

The most first thing to examine on the Copper Lite is its fan. Most computer fans have a square or rectangular casing around them because the fan is round while the heatsink is square or rectangular. The rectangular casing forces air to go through the gaps in the casing and out the other side. The Copper Lite has its fan mounted with 4 rubber struts and has no casing around it. This design makes it visually stand out from the majority of the rest of the heatsink & fan combo market. Upon initial evaluation…

Pros:

Lighter
Less sturdy (no structure, it is more apt to handle vibrations)

Cons:

It doesn't channel the air through the heatsink. Air could easily flow just between the fan and the heatsink without ever flowing through it.

The heatsink looks very similar to any other heatsink you'd see. It is bladed, or finned, which provides a extra surface area for heat dissipation. It is lightweight and silver in color, which suggests a primarily aluminum structure.

The clip for mounting is slightly different than most heatsinks. On one side it has the standard 3-notch clip. On the other, instead of a spring-loaded clip that requires the use a screwdriver to press down, it has a screw-mounted clip. To install the Copper Lite, put the clip over the notches and screw it in.

On the underside of the heatsink, there is a copper ring in the middle (where the CPU touches the heatsink). This exists to provide maximum heat transfer between the CPU and the heatsink. Copper is a better conductor than aluminum, but it is also much heavier too.

There are a couple more things worth mentioning about the Copper Lite. Included in the box is a tube of MX-1 cooling grease, which easily contains enough grease for multiple installations. It is also nice that Arctic Cooling took the extra step and sleeved the power cable.